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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
39
With ike Makers and Sellers of Talking Machines
TALKING MACHINES ON PACIFIC COAST
A New Business cf Such Inherent Merit as to
Positively Push Aside and Relegate Other
Departments
to the Background—Clark
Wise & Co. Fall in Line—School of Music
Will Use Talking Machine as Teacher.
(Special to The Review.)
San Francisco, Cal., Oct. 21, 1905.
Some music houses are enterprising and "can
see." Others, it would seem, add a department
devoted to talking machines only after the cus-
tomers have clamored at the gates long enough
for them. But once placed in stock, they ask
no favors and the dealer, aroused from his re-
verie or disabused of his prejudice, frequently
sits in his office and watches with widely opened
eyes the crowds that frequent the rooms bvit so
recently comparatively vacant.
Really, your correspondent, a musical critic
by profession and one who a few months since
sneered at the idea of becoming a talking ma-
chine convert, is to-day an enthusiast. When
before the Victor, for instance, and listening to
such voices as Tamagno's, Caruso's, Melba's,
Michallowa's, and others of the Victor Red Seal
category, I sit as one enthralled, enjoying yet in-
stinctively endeavoring to ply my profession of
critic. So well are intonation, phrasing, breath-
ing and the accompaniment brought out that I
almost fall to considering if this wonderful,
mysterious musical instrument, which seems to
photograph all others, is not likewise to supplant
all others. Why any longer play any instru-
ment—perhaps only indifferently—when the
most beautiful and perfect music is poured out
upon you at so much per disc? I have seen
music teachers spellbound before a Victor, study-
ing, learning a lesson from a hard rubber disc
replica of Melba's voice—seeking a tutor in the
talking machine!
The commercial side—does it pay? Well, does
it pay to sit at a desk and O. K. credits, as I
have seen them, of $100, $200, $300, and $400 at
a time, to the best people in town—sold by prac-
tically an, errand boy to enthusiastic purchasers.
Piano business? Well, I'm told by several
dealers it isn't "one-two-three" with a fine talk-
ing machine department, with its cash or good
credit, short terms, stock turned twelve times a
year, and your profits in your hip pocket at in-
ventory time. What wonder that aggressive,
appreciative piano merchants are entering the
talking machine field.
Clark Wise & Co. are adding a big depart-
ment for talking machines to their store. Their
business in this line has increased so remark-
ably of late that they are compelled to give it
their undivided attention. A little while ago
they hardly thought of their talking machine
department except spasmodically, and now they
are just full of talking machine talk.
Kohler & Chase have some sort of agreement
with the S. F. Chronicle in the shape of a talking
machine subscription contest. The scheme works
beautifully, and the talking machine depart-
ment of that firm is crowded most of the time.
The firm give regular concerts at the hall, which
are remarkably well attended and meet with un-
qualified success.
The Von Meyerinck School of Music will in-
troduce the talking machine as a teacher. Mrs.
Von Meyerinck will tell the machine all she
knows about singing, and the machine will then
be placed at the disposal of the pupil, who thus
will be able to learn his lesson more thoroughly.
This is the first time in San Francisco that the
talking machine is employed in a bona fide
musical conservatory- It. will be interesting to
watch the result.
Peter Bacigalupi, manager of the far Western
interests of the National Phonograph Co., is well
pleased with the way trade has opened up this
fall. He is having an immense demand for Edi-
son machines and records, and the prospects are
that the present winter will witness an increase
in their output in this section of at least fifty
per cent.
A GREAT BOSTON HOUSE
Is the Eastern Talking Machine Co., Who Have
Built
Up a Big Business Something of
Their New Establishment.
E. F. Tal't, general manager of the Eastern
Talking Machine Co., Boston, was a visitor to
New York this week. In the course of a chat
Which Were Acted Upon in the Courts During
with The Review he spoke in the most optim-
the Past Week.
istic terms regarding the business outlook in his
On the long calendar called in the United territory, and reported an immense call for ex-
States Circuit Court, New York, Monday were a pensive equipments from the wealthiest people
number of talking machine cases, as might be of Boston and vicinity. The enormous increase
expected. The first five numbers were suits of the business of this establishment is the sub-
brought by the Victor Talking Machine Co. ject of much favorable comment in the trade.
against the Talk-o-phone Co., of Toledo. The Through the additions recently completed the
hearings were on demurrers as to the pleadings Eastern Talking Machine Co. now possess in
on alleged infringements of the Berliner patent. their establishment at 177 Tremont street one
This contention is distinct from that treated of of the largest talking machine departments in
the country—a business which has been devel-
in Judge Hazel's late decision.
oped in eleven years from two thousand feet of
Argument in the cases of the American Graph- floor space to fourteen thousand feet. And this
ophone Co. against Leeds & Catlin Co. and the does not include the basement, which is admir-
American Record Co., respectively, on the same ably equipped for storage and shipping.
The first floor is devoted to the display room,
calendar, in relation to the Jones patented pro-
cess of duplicating disc records, was postponed where Victor talking machines and Edison phon-
until November 7. While this date is election ographs of every size and variety may be seen.
day, Judge Wheelock stated he would hold court In the rear is the repair room. Besides the of-
and go on with these hearings in the usual way. fices on the second floor there is a magnificently
decorated and furnished reception room for
Both sides are ready.
women patrons of the firm.
Immediately after the award of prizes at the
This room is furnished with everything that
St. Louis World's Fair the American Grapho- can conduce to the comfort of customers, with
phone Co. and the Columbia Phonograph Co., the latest magazines and writing materials. One
General, locked horns with the Victor Distribut- of the many unique features is a display of three
ing & Export Co. as to which company was en- models of the combination machine and record
titled to the highest distinction. Counter suits cabinets, finished in Rockwood, marqueterie com-
were brought at the time to obtain a judicial bination and Vernis Martin. The room has a
opinion, and in the meantime the value of such pleasant outlook on the Common. On the same
a decision has passed, so the suits were discon- floor there are six demonstration rooms for the
tinued by consent, and nobody hurt.
Victor machines, HO shut off that they do not in-
terfere with each other or with machines in
The appeal of the National Phonograph Co. other parts of the building.
against the New York Phonograph Co., the in- Along the entire floor of the second floor there
junction and accounting originally granted being are cases containing about 65,000 records. These
stayed by the latest decree of Judge Hazel pend- include reproductions from all the famous operas
ing this hearing, will be argued in the United as demonstrated by the most finished artists of
States Circuit Court of Appeals, New York, at the the age. The third floor is given up to surplus
December term. This finding will be final. An stock and record storage.
answer has been filed by the National Co. in the
suit of the International Phonograph Co., and
SOME MINOR RECORDS.
there the matter rests.
MATTERS LITIGIOUS.
TALKING MACHINE JOBBERS ORGANIZE.
(Special to The Revipw.1
Columbus, O., Oct. 23, 1905.
Representatives of the principal jobbers of talk-
ing machine supplies met in this city Thursday
and organized the Talking Machine Jobbers' As-
sociation of the Central States. George Ilsen,
of Cincinnati, was elected president, and P. B.
Whitsit, of this city, was elected secretary and
treasurer. The object of the Association is to
maintain prices and regulate shipments of goods
which in future will be sent by freight rather
than by express. Other meetings will be held
later.
PROF. STARR'S VISIT TO AFRICA.
Prof. Frederick Starr started last week en
route to the Congo Free State, where he ex-
pects to be the guest of one of the native kings,
studying the various interesting tribes in his
domain. He will also carry on in the depths of
Africa, field work on ethnology and anthropol-
ogy, similar to the investigations he has made
among the Indians of Mexico and this country.
Prof. Starr, who is one of the faculty of the
University of Chicago, has spent several years
in the jungle, and goes prepared for all sorts
of eventualities. He took with him a couple
of talking machines and several thousand records.
Harry Enders, who opened stores for the Mu-
sical Echo Co. in Atlantic City, N. J., and Phila-
delphia, with Pittsburg and New York in view,
resigned the managership last Saturday.
The Douglas Phonograph Co., New York, has
put in a full stock of "blue records," and thereby
the American Record Co. has secured one of the
leading jobbers of the country to carry their line.
A beefsteak dinner is being arranged to be
given in Brooklyn, N. Y., at an early date, at
which half the guests will be 'talent," and the re-
mainder progressive dealers. "Casey" is the
committee on menu and other details.
The American Graphophone Co. announce that
the consecutive quarterly dividend (No. 42) of
1% per cent., on the preferred capita] stock of
the American Graphophone Co., will be paid No-
vember 15, 1905, to stockholders of record No-
vember 1.
S. P. McCluskey, Scranton, Pa., have placed a
dozen "Victor dog" wall signs, 10 x 22 feet, about
the city. They are made of sheet metal, and are
splendid reproductions of the famous trade-mark.
The Pennsylvania Sign Co., Allentown, Pa., were
the makers, and consequently are creditable pro-
ductions.